Stoke scrap deal for French midfielder

 

Stoke City are believed to have pulled the plug on any deal to sign Gianelli Imbula, reports the Telegraph.

 

Potters boss Mark Hughes is a long-term admirer of the Frenchman and hoped to bring him to the Britannia Stadium in the summer, only for the player to move to Porto.

 

Stoke scrap deal for French midfielder

 

However, Imbula has struggled for regular game time in Portugal and is thought to be keen on leaving the club sooner rather than later.

 

Stoke had been in negotiations with Porto over a possible move for most of January, but both teams were unable to strike a deal that would have seen the 23-year-old become the club's record transfer.

 

As such, the young midfielder is expected to stay in Portugal until the end of the season, unless Stoke can quickly agree terms with both player and club before Monday's 11pm deadline.

 

For more stats on Gianelli Imbula, click here to view his WhoScored player page